QITABI Mid-term Performance Evaluation and Research Team Member Consultant

Requires a Cover Letter?: 
yes
Application Submissions Guideline: 

Interested candidates are requested to submit their CV and cover letter to [email protected]. The interviews will be held on a rolling basis.

Contact Person Name: 
MEPL Recruiting Department
Contact Person Position: 
MEPL Recruiting Department
Contact Person Email: 
Description: 

QITABI 2 Activity Description

The $90 million Quality Instruction Towards Access and Basic Education Improvement (QITABI) 2 activity helps build the Lebanese education system’s institutional capacity for sustainability and self-reliance. Through its three outcomes, QITABI-2 seeks to 1) improve student performance in reading, math, and writing; 2) improve Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills; and 3) improve national-level service delivery of education. QITABI 2 works with all primary public schools in Lebanon and engages with low-cost private schools to enhance all primary students’ learning outcomes. The assistance targets Lebanese and non-Lebanese students in grades 1 to 6 in public and low-cost private schools. 

Activities include teacher training and coaching, e-content development, provision of educational materials and equipment, distribution of books, provision of food parcels and capacity development to the Ministry of Education (MEHE) and the Center for Educational Research and Development (CERD). In all respects, the activity seeks to ensure that educational institutions have the capacity to develop, implement, and monitor policies and curriculum and enable teacher capacity to support learning outcomes, including literacy, numeracy, and SEL. QITABI 2’s early grade reading assessment (EGRA) and early grade math assessment (EGMA) are planned in April 2024 to measure the impact of the intervention in literacy and numeracy. 

Contextual factors:

Some key factors have had a significant impact on the activity’s implementation and on student learning outcomes and are for consideration for this evaluation. These are: the civil unrest of 2019, the country’s deteriorating economic situation since 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic, the consecutive teacher strikes leading to school closures and other related factors. All of these factors have significantly disrupted the educational sector and resulted in learning disruption for a period of about two years. Since the original design and award of QITABI 2, the education sector in Lebanon has experienced significant shocks and has been impacted by a deteriorating economic context since 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic and associated school closures.

 

Evaluation and Research Objectives and Timeline

The performance evaluation of the existing activity and diagnostic research aim to achieve the following objectives:

  1. To explore the extent to which QITABI 2 achieved its objectives and outcomes and was able to adapt to changing context.
  2. To examine the relevance of the Activity as perceived and experienced by stakeholders and beneficiaries.
  3. To better understand the root causes (constraints/bottlenecks) of low learning outcomes in primary grades.
  4. To generate lessons learned and inform the design of a future Activity
  5. To research opportunities for improving learning outcomes in primary grades.
  6. To identify conditions for the continued sustainable education reform.

 

 Position Duties and Responsibilities 

The specific tasks of the Team Member are as follows:

  •    During the Kick-off period, the consultant will work with the team leader, a second team member and members of the MEPL team to finalize the inception report including sampling methods, interview guides, and finalize the logistics for the field work. And will hold design meetings with evaluation stakeholders.
  • At the field work level, the consultant will work with the evaluation team to interview key stakeholders and project beneficiaries, carry out focus group discussions, and ensure notes are taken as per MEPL guidance.
  • At the post-field work level, the consultant is expected to work with the evaluation team to code and analyze the data, contribute to the write up the evaluation report, and co-present main findings and conclusions to USAID and other stakeholders. A recommendations co-creation workshop will be agreed on with USAID.
  • The consultant is expected to respond to USAID comments on the work plan/inception report, draft report, and other presentation deliverables.

The consultant will contribute to the dissemination of evaluation and research products.

Task 

Timeline 

Finalize SOW 

7 September 

Recruit and finalize evaluation team 

31 October 

Conduct design meetings with evaluation stakeholders, and receive and review Activity documents 

14 November 

Design inception report 

5 December  

Data collection 

7 December – 10 January 

Data analysis  

Note: This process includes coding, data summaries/memos, and evaluation team data analysis and interpretation session(s) 

31 January 

Findings Validation and Recommendations Co-creation Workshop 

Week of 13 February 

Report writing 

Note: Anticipate two-week review of the draft report by USAID. Final approved report will be uploaded to the DEC. 

13 March 

3 April 

Dissemination 

21 April 

Position Requirements Academic Qualifications 

  • Hold an advanced degree in international educational development, international education, educational reform or similar fields.  

 

Experience and Skills 

  • Minimum of 6 years of experience in research or assessment of primary education programs. 
  • Strong knowledge of the structure, strengths and challenges facing the primary education system in Lebanon is preferred.
  • Strong understanding of the main concepts of teacher training, curriculum development, education reform process, and associated management strategies.   
  • Strong knowledge of USAID practices and policies related to evaluation or assessment of projects preferred. 
  • Excellent written communication, presentation and analytical skills in English. 
  • Excellent leadership and team management skills.  

 

How to Apply 

 

Please submit CV and cover letter to [email protected]

EnCompass LLC is a progressive Equal Opportunity Employer. We promote, celebrate, and support a diverse and inclusive organizational culture and workforce. We are committed to providing all of our employees with an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where all are treated with dignity and respect. We do not tolerate, and explicitly prohibit, discrimination or harassment of any kind, at any time, in all aspects of employment. This includes recruitment, hiring, promotions, disciplinary measures, terminations, compensation, benefits, social and recreational programs, and training. EnCompass also does not tolerate retaliation against individuals who report discrimination or harassment. Our continuing commitment to the principle of Equal Opportunity Employment for all means all employment decisions are based only on the job requirements, the candidate’s qualifications, and the needs of EnCompass as a business—not on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, belief, sex (including pregnancy and related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability status, veteran status, genetic information, HIV status, family/marital/parental status, or any other status protected by the laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we work. 

 

For US based positions: The employer will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified. 

The incumbent must be able to work in a fast-paced environment with demonstrated ability to juggle and prioritize multiple, competing tasks and demands and to seek supervisory assistance as appropriate. 

 

If you require accommodations in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act to complete your application, please call 301-287-8700, provide your contact information and a description of your accessibility issue. We will make a determination on your request for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case-basis, and we will call you back within approximately 3 business days. 

 

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NOTE:

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Last modified: 
27 Sep, 2022
Intervention Sector(s):
Development, Education
Application Deadline:
Friday, 7 October 2022
Contract Type:
Consultancy
Period of Employment:
The evaluation is expected to be conducted between September 2022 and April 2023. The expected level of effort (LOE, or total available billable days) is 40-55 days.
Salary
The daily rate will be based on education degree and previous experience
Salary Range:
< 800 (USD)
Education Degree:
Masters Degree
Education Degree Details:
Advanced degree in international educational development, international education, educational reform or similar fields.
Experience Requirements:
5 to 10 years
Arabic Language:
Fluent
English Language:
Fluent
French Language:
None
Country/City: 
  • Lebanon